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^ THE GLASS FACTORY. ^
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#§%^*«-,,, SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, CONSIDERED POOR. ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, ^^ ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, ^^ ^^ ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, ««««««« ^ ^ ««««««« ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, ^^ ^^ ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, ^^ ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, ^^ ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, ^^ ^^ ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, ««««««« ^ ^ ««««««« ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, ^^ ^^ ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, ^^ ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, FLOOR. ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, BECOME STILL. ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, ^^ ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, ^^ ^^ ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, ««««««« ^ ^ ««««««« ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, ^^ ^^ ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, ^^ ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ,,,-«*^%§#
§%^*«-,,,, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,,,,-«*^%§
#§%^*«-,,, GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ,,,-«*^%§#
##§%^*«-,, I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ,,-«*^%§##
###§%^*«-, THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ,-«*^%§###
##§%^*«-,, ,,-«*^%§##
#§%^*«-,,, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,,,-«*^%§#
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